


StrayNotes-QUARTET NIGHT

by Eirenei



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: F/M, I so can write in canon, Jealousy Issues, jealous!QUARTERT NIGHT, utapri3 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 15:36:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5095961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eirenei/pseuds/Eirenei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>QUARTET NIGHT's very own account of events in third season that began via them experiencing the wonders of working alongside one shy golden-eyed composer of STARISH. Because if nothing else, one Nanami Haruka is also their very own composer...So speaketh their jealously issues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reiji's POV

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zara Allegra Vespertine](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Zara+Allegra+Vespertine).



> Disclaimer: I don't own Utapri, nor do I own the singing princes therein. But I do play with their thought processes a bit. Mwahaha.
> 
> Shout Out: I wasn't completely idle in the summer time. Nope, no siree. This is one of the pet projects that had begun in the wake of conversations with Zara Allegra Vespertine, the mistress of all things Utapri. And because she had sent me the jealous!QUARTET NIGHT clippings, this of course prompted me to write something about them, under-appreciated lot of tsunderes they are (aside from Reiji. Sheesh, he's the most normal one of them.). Seriously. Those four one-shots were my gift to her, both as part of a gift and partly as a bribe to get her writing more of her stories in that particular fandom. And as such, this is my little way of contribution to the Utapri fandom, as promised. 
> 
> Warnings: NotAU - oh, you're shocked? I so can write something within the parameters of original settings too, ya know. Some spoilers for 3rd season and completely unapologetic immersion in the place existing between their ears and residing within their skulls. if you are brave enough, tread on, dear readers. Oh, and did I mean there was some jealously included?

_**Reiji's POV:** _

I am seriously jealous of them. For having her, even when she is with us. Don't get me wrong, she did her work splendidly - neither Myu-Myu and Ran-Ran complained, which is kind of a big deal, considering that the two of them had driven our previous composers to tears over the details - but still, she had found the time and faith to write STARISH a song. In those notes, there was care and affection and... Unity.

Even when they were apart, they were together. As for us, only recently we've managed to do the same, and I believe Haru-chan was the sole catalyst of this change, what with her songs, charm and warm, caring presence. It was so easy to sing her songs... easy after overcoming the shock of basically receiving our mirror images in within compositions. Somehow, she managed to catch us - our real personalities and preferences reverberating within the notes, showing us how she saw us. And wasn't that a shock - I had thought that we would be getting a generic cantrip, like we usually did - no offense to Shining, but our previously assigned composers seriously lacked in exploring our capabilities. Maybe we were also at fault, as we are basically able to sing everything and anything. A blessing and a curse at the same time, as that particular ability made us both close but more distant than ever.

And then, she came. She took our... songs, melodies, and somehow managed to entwine them together into a new arrangement that was us and still uniquely QUARTET NIGHT. I admit, I had some doubts about Haru-chan succeeding at first - I knew what kind of ice-cubes my teammates are – Ran-Ran could bite someone's head off at the slightest provocation, Myu-Myu is too prideful and ice-cold for his own good, never mind his perfectionism, and don't even get me started on Ai-Ai! And then, there was me, the butt of their rejections and putdowns, despite of how long I've been in the entertainment industry – no respect for _senpai_ here, seriously – a comical reject who did everything wrong.

But... No. She didn't see me as such. In her eyes I was a respected senpai who works hard and sometimes outshines Tokki and Ikki at the magic show, had who still... shines as she expressed it, like the day I had when QUARTET NIGHT had been formed. Strange, strange girl, that Haru-chan. Nobody would have believed she is the composer behind STARISH's songs if one would've seen her in the crowd. But she... her song was the reason I had to interfere in Aiji-Aiji's case. That _Maji Love 1000%_... I couldn't get it out of my head even a week after STARISH's debut concert, and I believe I've driven Ran-Ran and Myu-Myu up the proverbial wall with humming its' melody. Aiji-Aiji's melody - I believe it's known as _Fantasia of the Stars_ now, intrigued me enough that I had to send it to Agnapolis. But even I couldn't have predicted that the turnout of this little action would result in practically a monster of a group, what with Aiji-Aiji added in and then their consequent win of UtaPri award.

That was the beginning of QUARTET NIGHT like I've wished it for. It may have been only a tiny step forward, but it was a step all the same, especially because Myu-Myu had been proven that a group can exist and be successful because they were here for each other - their challenges as individuals and a group were shared the same - if one had a problem, then all of them chipped in, however they could, to solve it. They talked, laughed, lost and won together.

All because of Nanami Haruka. STARISH may be seen as a cohesive unit by the outsiders, but truthfully, it's her who is the main reason for their success. I still remember the furor when it had been announced that Tokki switched agencies in order to sing with STARISH - It had been totally unprecedented event, but still less when Shining actually allowed them to debut as a group with a single composer to boot - if anything, Shining would've expelled such fools, but they dared to go against his rule and well, the results speak for themselves.

When I saw her with them, she was glowing with happiness. I didn't really know just why they were so attentive to her - Ren-Ren especially and Aiji-Aiji is absurdly overprotective of her, to the point of going against Myu-Myu - which is a guaranteed suicide – but...I think I am beginning to understand.

It's more than just her songs. It's her understanding, her enjoyment of music and her joy when she shares it with us. It makes her, for the lack of better word, shine even brighter. Ai-Ai became mellower and more approachable since that movie he starred in with Nacchan and Syo-chan - whatever had happened while they were making a movie; it changed him for the better. Myu-Myu had lightened up a fair bit too, even if he is still harsh and mean as ever, but there is still a small spark of warmth in his usually ice cold eyes when he is playing his cello or singing with us now. And of course, Ran-Ran. Before, I had a feeling he was bound by invisible chains that held him down - even if he was vocally perfect addition to QUARTET NIGHT, I couldn't help but feel that he was still holding back an enormous part of his personality, so to speak. Yes, perfect in technique and expression, but still, it wasn't him. It was like trying to conform a wild beast to the civilized society. I didn't know just how much QUARTET NIGHT had clipped his wings, his voice... until that night. Yeah, that RockFest Ran-Ran so stubbornly declined to participate in. But it seemed that Haru-chan once again got through for him, and managed to reconcile both of his sides - his side of a rocker with the side that is now a part of QUARTET NIGHT. In doing so, she managed to free his true voice. And what a voice it was... I knew that Ran-Ran was good, otherwise he wouldn't have been selected for QUARTET NIGHT, but that night, he was the sole star of the show, so to speak. And he burned brighter than ever.

When I practically kidnapped Haruka to compose a song for us, I didn't know that we would have such a great time together. Of course, the beginning was a bit rocky - who I am kidding, it was full-on avalanche of ice and fire and steel - but on the other hand, I was ecstatic that they finally began to express just what they wanted their song to be! Usually, we just take in the proffered composition, tweak it so-and-so, write lyrics, get the singing and dancing perfected and then we are on our way to the recording studio. Cold-hearted meanies, the lot of them, only work on their minds! But with Haruka in the mix, they finally began to show some more interest in making song more than just good. Even if that did result in a three-way stare-off between them, but I still counted it as an enormous leap forward... in a sense. Of course they disbanded to their own corners of the mansion after the dinner. (Ran-Ran made a mean curry. Must nag him to cook for us more!)

I know, I know, we weren't much of a help to Haru-chan at first. But we did our part... in a sense. I certainly noticed Camus trying to get his say-so with the composition what with him talking about wanting to show her even greater heights. Boo. Perfectionist to the core, that Myu-Myu. And of course, Ai-Ai was confused when she told him that she would combine our melodies. Well, if nothing else, Haru-chan was certainly daring! But it rankled me a little when I thought that she would be doing with us like she did with STARISH... in a sense. We were too much of individuals to just mash all of us in one song, weren't we? And of course, Ran-Ran was seriously mellow with her. Mellow for him, that is. He is still a grumpy bear with the rest of us. And me... Well, I can't say it was one of my finest moments. It seems that she always gets me in some kind of a pinch. Instead of requesting anything of her, I spouted off something about my teammates changing and STARISH advancing... I am a little bit ashamed of remembering it now. So uncool of me.

But I believe that that night, we witnessed magic at it's work. The piano's melody beckoned us to come from our resting spots just as surely as if it were her calling us to her by our names. Our sounds, our melodies, meshed together and then parted, and entwining again. It lit a fire within us.

That night, I can honestly say, that QUARTET NIGHT was truly born within the splendor of the morning glory.

* * *

Of course, nothing good lasts forever. I can admit we were arrogant. We experienced just how _good_ was working with Haruka, to sing with our own voices, to learn it's alright to be individuals within the group, even as broken and brittle as ours was. But her song was a ribbon of melody that tied us together, and gave us aim to reach. Before, we aimed just to be perfect. Now, we aimed to be on top, and with Haruka's song, we were sure to be here. We managed to shake the confidence of our cute little kouhais - I admit to taking a sadistic delight in watching their dismayed faces when I informed them that Haruka wouldn't be coming back. Especially when I told them to be careful lest we snatch her away from them for ourselves. I felt my teammates start slightly at my proclamation, but in that, we were of the same, even if it was unspoken, thought - Haruka belonged to us. And we will do anything in our power to have her with us, even if that meant taking her from her beloved STARISH.

Like I said, we were too arrogant. That morning, when we witnessed the truly bewildering and hilarious sight of our cute little kouhais clumsily stumbling out of the piano room, looking rumpled, messy-haired and looking like they didn't get much sleep, we just had to look what was the cause of their morning pandemonium.

And the cause was a rose-haired composer slumbering peacefully, as she was sitting on the chair, her upper body leaning on the piano as if it were her teddy bear.

Nanami Haruka. STARISH's composer once more. The magic of that morning when we finished our own song with her resonated in the air with a bittersweet feeling. To think that she would be so devoted to them to stay up all night with them when she just came back...

The wind blew through the window, teasingly dropping the composition sheets she had been working on in front of my feet. I couldn't help myself - it was like knowing that something bad would happen - I sensed that kind of a foreboding feeling - but I couldn't stop myself reaching for the sheets even if I wanted to.

What was shown to my eyes was a monster of a composition. Don't get me wrong, her works are awesome, and she did manage to get us, our sounds, both individual and as group, to a T, but the composition for STARISH was absolutely _light years_ ahead in comparison with her earlier works. If I am honest with myself, this... new composition of hers for STARISH's entry song is on the par with ours!

I know I shouldn't have felt so surprised or betrayed. She was STARISH's composer first and foremost, after all. But in those days which she spent together with us, Haruka became our composer, and in a broader sense, she became ours. And we weren't inclined to let her go that easily.

Looking in the eyes of my teammates, I saw the same expression of awe, terror, jealously and something else burning within its depths.

It seemed that our newly-reached pinnacle wouldn't be enough for us to win this time. But at the same time, there was this spark of a challenge, of need to prove that we are the best. Without any question.

Her song - I sincerely believe - is unsurpassable. So what if STARISH had managed to climb on our level? QUARTET NIGHT was here first and with her, we will advance even further – always be a step and even more before them.

* * *

However... despite of our unanimous decision, we were confronted with a failure.

"This is _not_ working." Ran-Ran snarled out when we were trying to do the whole arrangement for the tenth time in a row.

"I agree. Something is missing." Ai-Ai supplied, frowning slightly. "We already changed the lyrics and the steps but the song is still not enough to overcome theirs."

Myu-Myu didn't say anything. Instead, he wiped the sweat off of his face.

Ice blue eyes zeroed on me. "I will not allow anything less than perfection." Myu-Myu's voice is serious - not that sub-zero cold anymore, but he is more serious than I've ever seen him being. He will not bend, even if the end of the world is nigh when he's like this.

That meanie Myu-Myu. But I can understand him. He is right. I also felt the frustration that came with us trying to overcome our rivals.

Well, if everything else we have tried failed… I turned around and swiped a mobile phone out of my jacket. Thankfully I managed to get that _chibi_ 's mobile number. With a quick press on the buttons, I contacted the only one that could elevate us even past STARISH.

Haruka Nanami.

We are QUARTET NIGHT and we will win.


	2. Ranmaru's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nope, still not owning them. Story's still mine, though.
> 
> Shout Out: Kurosaki Ranmaru, the bad boy of QUARTET NIGHT and all-around hardcore rocker, presenting his own version of jealously issues. Oh, boy. When I began to write that one, he took over and it was a roller-coaster ride like wheee. At the end of the writing session, I could only stare at the screen, shocked, amused and appalled at the inner thoughts of the silver-haired tsundere revealed herein. And I thought him to be a mature one.../shakes head, amused/ Let's hear(t) it out for our favorite rock boy!
> 
> Warnings: NotAU still applies, spoilers ahoy. And of course, Ran-Ran cursing galore. Oh, and a misuse of word girlfriend /mischievous smile/.

_**Ranmaru's POV:** _

_Give me, give me the shine_   
_Give me, give me the heart_

I hated it. I hated their song. I hated their unity, and most importantly, I hated her. So sugary sweet that my teeth were practically rotting in my mouth while I was listening to their tunes and yet, I couldn't stop this asinine behavior for some reason. They were… _good._

It was truly a disgraceful state for a rocker like me. How dare they snatch the fame and hearts of their audience with their paltry, diabetes-inducing love songs! And the worst of all, their composer.

Nanami Haruka.

A _woman_ of all things. I only waited for when the whole thing would fall apart in all of its rotten glory, like it used to have in my olden days with the bands. For some thing or another, every time when we were on our way to the recognition, there was one bitch or another slobbering up to some band guy and of course, then it began - _"Dude, I can't go to the rehearsal, this and this girl is waiting for me." "But Ran, look at dat ass, it woulda be a crime not to own it. You understand, pal, don't you? Just wing it without me, would ya?"_ Or my personal favorite _"Shut your fucking mouth an' mind yer own business, ya third rate rocker wannabe!"_ Well, fuck them and fuck their bitches too. I could do that shit on my own without them dragging me down.

Shining's offer came just in time - I had to pay that loan shark bastard Hariya, and basically, Shining's offer came five minutes before the noon, so to speak. Thankfully there was enough money to pay the greedy bastard and it remained just enough for my little sister and that crappy apartment of mine - not that I live in it much, but it's a good respite for when Kotobuki's jokes go overboard. I can't count the times I could practically throttle the stupid clown to death when he was bugging me about my habits, frowns and getting me just a little bit cuter. I am not cute, fuck him very much. Persistent asshole, that's Kotobuki for you. Make that one persistent morning asshole too, and frankly, I despise that kind of people out of principle. It's like they wake up with the sunshine up their asses and they are ready to chirp up to death anyone unfortunate enough to be in their presence for five seconds. Camus was an aristocratic ice asshole – literally, the stuffy bastard made me go at my wits' ends with his stuffiness and perfection. But I have to say that the bastard definitely knew what he was talking about, and besides that, his only redeeming measure was that I could defect Kotobuki's attention to him. Kotobuki always fell for that trick, thank the fucking gods. Ai was… Ai. I could deal with him, even if he did spew his statistic bullshit out far more often that I was comfortable with.

So. This is a QUARTET NIGHT in a nutshell. I don't know what Shining had been thinking, making us into a group, band, whatever - but whatever the old bastard is on, he has a serious nose for business, I got to give him that. A score we finally managed to agree on - with that trap Ringo's generous whacking our skulls together, when we were too stubborn, and of course, making the lyrics and then dealing with singing, and all other shit.

To my honest surprise, _Poison Kiss_ was a hit. Talk about our group being dysfunctional all you want, but the true blue fact was, that on professional level, we clicked together, even if only when we were singing. I could care less what they were doing in their free time. It was not like we were true band, after all.

Our lives would have been happily - and dysfunctional - ever after, if it weren't for that snot-nosed bratty group called STARISH. I should have known there was something afoot when I had been dragged out of my hidey hole via Shining-sama decree to attend their debut. He fucking interrupted my time with my girlfriend for that kind of shit, but he is my boss, so I didn't really have any choice in that regard.

What followed was cutesy, sweet and love-dovey entertainment that made my teeth rattle and my skull ache as if I were overdosed with sugared cotton candy. You know, the rainbow kind. Fluffy, multicolored cloud on a stick, but the shit is sticking to your teeth and your brain like nobody's business. I needed extra session of playing my girlfriend just to get the cloying sweetness out of my head. That should've been the end of it.

But oh, noo, Shining-sama had another brilliant idea of his. We, QUARTET NIGHT - would be the ones to lead the proverbial little ducklings in the waters of stardom properly. What had the wiseass been smoking, when he thought up that little scheme, I don't want to know. I got paired with Jinguuji and Hijirikawa, and got to torture them with my non-existence. They did say they didn't need my guidance, so I wasn't really present. Case solved. Ai had both that shrimp and giant, while Kotobuki was buddying up to that ex-comedy idol HAYATO and his red-haired sidekick. Camus had the misfortune of handling a royalty - some prince named Ajima Cecil, and if nothing else, I liked the brat because he could wind up the Count of Iciness like nobody's business. Really, they could be a comedy show all on their lonesome, what with Camus roaring at the princeling and princeling whining back at him.

To end that long episode, they managed to get into Utapri and win the damn thing, which was… awe-inspiring. Later I found out that their rival group – HEAVENS - apparently stole their composer's previous song for Utapri, and that should've been an end of the starlings. But to my relief - how confusing – STARISH once again pulled a rabbit out of their nonexistent hat and came out with teeth-rotting _Maji Love 2000%._ I swear that song was positively _lethal._ It could be deployed as a weapon of mass sugary destruction. As it were, I had felt like tippity-toppity over the sunshine-fields of daisies, which was really uncomfortable feeling for me as I stared on the stage in horror. Happiness wasn't really present in rock - yes, there was passion, anger, defiance, even broken hearts and wrath, but the fluffiness like this was…a no-no for a hardcore rocker like me.

However, it managed to wake something within me. Something I thought was destroyed long ago. Something that had been given a nudge when I heard them singing at the resort for the first time with Aijima. And I wanted that unity STARISH had presented and flaunted in front of everyone and their grandmother, for myself.

* * *

You know that saying, be careful what you wish for?

Yes. It happened to me. I should've been careful with my wishes. Instead of getting my wish, Shining, that whacko of a nutjob stashed me into the working pair with one Nanami Haruka, the beloved composer of STARISH.

Oh joy. I had to work with a woman. Never mind that it was Nanami Haruka, the ditz that somehow managed to string along seven of the guys, not that she would have known about it even if the clue bus whacked her smack dab into the face.

My pride as a rocker was at this point completely nonexistent and trampled into negative numbers beyond 100%. I had nothing. Actually, I had the group, ready for insane asylum, called QUARTET NIGHT and my work as an idol, but beyond that, my dreams about being famous rocker performing with my own group of band mates was just one more dime on the big hill of my regrets.

I was a part of QUARTET NIGHT. This was my new identity, something I had forcibly associated myself with. It was this or nothing. I belonged to them now, and that was that. And that also meant I had to lay my girlfriend to permanent rest - Kurosaki Ranmaru of QUARTET NIGHT wasn't a rocker. He didn't shout or grunt or rap or do any of the rock-associated things when he was on the stage. Yeah, he was a rebellious, bad boy, the one that brought up the wild factor in the group, he was a tamed animal, who had a muzzle on his mouth, and to sing only pre-approved love-dove shit that apparently romanced the hearts out of young girls and women. He was suave, a little bit wild and in sync with their band mates, whether in singing or dancing. And that was it.

Enter Nanami Haruka and her stupid big gold eyes and stupid wish to get to know me more and her even more asinine ambition to make the authentic 'Kurosaki Ranmaru' song. And what was worse, both Hyuuga-sensei and Ringo-san supported her!

I really didn't need that. We were in the middle of the preparations for S3, and we should have been concentrated on showing a cohesive image of QUARTET NIGHT to the masses, and they dare to want that old Ranmaru back? The old, weak rock-wannabe Ranmaru, who was kicked out of the bands, instead of the new, polished up idol Ranmaru who was a part of QUARTET NIGHT? It was a no-brainer to me. For winning together with QUARTET NIGHT, I had to sacrifice something, even if that was my past and… my rock. Even if that meant not playing with my last band on the RockFest we always wanted to play. And I told her so.

Strangely, I thought I had convinced her. She was quiet after my explosion, after all, and of course, that meant the foolish girl would have acquiesced to my demand. To make a song for a new Ranmaru as opposed to the old one. She was always reliable that way….

* * *

But on the evening of the RockFest, when we had a photo shoot, she ran after me, giving me my song.

_"This is your solo song. I think bout of your rock-loving and idol sides are both the parts of who you are. You are here now because you love rock. "_

These words left me dumbfounded up to the middle of the shoot. I had to look like a guppy for the photographer in charge to ask me if something was wrong.

 _'Was that… true? Could I really be both? The old, rock-loving Ranmaru, and the new, idol-Ranmaru? Can I really…. Have it all?'_ The stray, unfamiliar thoughts bounced under my skull like sparkling comets of hope.

I moved without conscious thought and my fingers reflexively clutched themselves around the neck of my girlfriend, her weight, when I hoisted her up a comforting weight in my hands. She was here, my old, faithful companion. She… didn't abandon me, despite of me having lost the faith in myself.

The bold, reassuring timber of her voice filled the room… just like in the old times, making me grin with delight.

And then, my thought flashed to that woman, remembering her smile when she told me that I could be both… and my old pal, inviting me to the RockFest to play for the sake of the old times.

* * *

"Shut up and listen."

_I will show her._

Not them.

_I will show her… the current Kurosaki Ranmaru!_

The rhythm rolled around me in small bursts of sounds just waiting on me to become one with it… like I used to.

It was… the rhythm of my heart…. My rocker's heart.

The voice burst out of my lungs, screaming like an eagle, wild and free and fierce with passion.

This… was my song. My new song.

I barely noticed the people filtering in the old theatre, listening to me. My focus was on those golden eyes as I sang my own song, the song that was truly me.

_It was your love that saved me_

_Dancin' heart, Dancin' heart!_

_Blending together,_

_Rockin' heart, rockin' heart!_

_Singin' of a revolution!_

She saved me.

Nanami Haruka.

She didn't listen to my request, and I was thankful to the deepest, darkest, most selfish pits of my rocker soul that she had gone against my wish.

The assembled crowd rocked with the beat I commandeered, cheering me on.

"You just wait! I will show you something even more amazing!" I screamed into the crowd when I finished singing the song, making it roar with excitement –

But my words were only for her.

Because she saved me.

The smile stretched across my face, and for the first time in a long while, I didn't think of that loan shark Hayama, my obligations to anyone or anything or my irritating band mates in QUARTET NIGHT - I just soaked the sheer awesomeness of that happy atmosphere I had created myself with her song.

No, with _our_ song.

Maybe…. I could trust her a little.

* * *

Kotobuki, the clown, was late as usual. There was a repressed excitement buzzing in the air between the three of us. Ai was Ai, as usual. I was slouched on the couch, while Camus was drinking his overly sweetened tea like the fucking aristocrat he was. I knew he was excited, because he makes a sludge of sugar in his tea cup at such occasions. He thinks I don't know that. I am letting him hold onto his little illusion of superiority over us ordinary mortals. No need to tip my cards too early, after all.

STARISH didn't exactly rest on their laurels after my explosive debut either, and there were already rumors and whines over the internet to let them participate in S3. And the biggest part of their success was that girl composer of theirs, Nanami Haruka.

You know how I said that she was the worst for getting all of STARISH sing their sickly-sugared songs? My opinion of women wasn't exactly stellar to begin with, courtesy of the bitches that broke the rock groups I had been a member of apart, but she is… _different._

She is - I can't believe I am saying that - the core of their group. They defer to her. They care for her, lovesick puppies like they are. And she is oblivious to it to the incredible degree. Thankfully.

She is clumsy, innocent and dense, but nobody here can deny she isn't a brilliant composer. Her compositions are… made for the singers she is writing them for. I may detest both Maji songs for their fluffiness, but my little sister adores them, and after my own (religious) experience I have to reluctantly admit that they are good.

It had been no effort to sing my own song, made by her. Usually, when we got the compositions to sing, both me and Camus chew out the unfortunate composer in charge until he or she runs out of the room in tears or fury, then additionally butt our heads over the changes until either Ringo or Hyuuga-sensei stopped our spats, and then grudgingly produced something acceptable to all four sides.

 _Poison Kiss_ was sheer dumb luck on all of our parts. If it weren't for Kotobuki and Ai, we wouldn't have gotten it done as well as we had.

And now, she is here.

* * *

Kotobuki, that dirty little bitch. How dare he wheedle me into making curry for all of them? If we were alone, I would've told him to go fuck himself, but with Haruka present, I curbed my tongue and made the dinner. It didn't help Kotobuki tried to poach the praise afterward.

I will have to think up a special prank just for him.

* * *

The strands of melody echoed through the manor, beckoning us to the source.

It was our song. I knew that as soon as I heard it.

This was… QUARTET NIGHT's true face.

* * *

That night had passed almost too soon for us. Playing together, singing, and dancing, while she was playing the piano, accompanying us her own way, unobtrusive yet all too needed element to the unit that was now finally QUARTET NIGHT. I almost didn't want to let her go back to STARISH, the sentiment being echoed within all three of my band mates.

* * *

I take back everything bad I've ever said about one Kotobuki Reiji.

He can be annoying, a clown and he can tease us until we snap, but….

He managed to shake STARISH's confidence pretty badly. My inner sadist was practically preening at their terrified faces. Served them right, for being so overconfident in their almost guaranteed venture to S3.

But in this case, Haruka would be their worst enemy. Her song, the song we've worked on together, was the greatest.

Nanami Haruka. STARISH's composer. Now, I understand why HEAVENS coveted her so.

But no matter. She would be ours.

* * *

Can't we get a freaking break already? Just when we thought we were ahead of the shrimps, they came after us just outta of the left corner.

Seriously, Haruka's dedication to her little ragtag group of seven is scary. And that says much, coming from me.

When we saw her sleeping on the piano, after the rainbow puppies had scurried out of the room to their jobs they were apparently now late to, it was a beautiful sight.

But the sight of the composition the wind had blown toward Kotobuki was anything but.

If we had thought to be ahead of them, these three sheets of paper quickly proved us otherwise.

The song was… a monster in its own right. I know that at the beginning, we were levels above STARISH, performance, vocals and song-wise, but our wayward pupils had been quick studies, thanks to HAYA - no, Ichinose Tokiya and Haruka. And with their latest cross-unit projects they successfully leveled themselves up on the ground we had gained when performing _Poison Kiss._

Well, we did whine that the scene had been getting boring as of late, what with us having no rival to equal us… but this was ridiculous!

Time to get back to work, then.

* * *

"This is _not_ working." I snarled at them after the tenth rendition of the song. And it wasn't. It truly wasn't as I could see the others were also chafing with the effort to make the song better and more unique in order to overtake the absurd mileage STARISH's new song placed in front of us.

STARISH – they were truly the kings of shitty surprises. I know I should've expected that of them, what with them having Haruka in their corner, but still!

"I agree. Something is missing." Ai, logical as ever, and king of the obvious. "We already changed the steps but the song is still not enough to overcome theirs." This made me pop a vein on my head as my blood pressure rose with my ire at the situation.

Yeah, something was missing, but _what?_

We were finally a unit, a proper band, ragtag as we were, and that still wasn't enough!?

I began to think that maybe we had bitten more than we could chew - no, bad thoughts! We _will_ win!

"I will not allow less than perfection."

Ditto, Camus. I wanna crush the rainbow puppies too, thanks.

Kotobuki stared at Camus for a moment before his eyes sharpened and turning around, he strode to his jacket. He fished out his mobile phone and my eyes widened with anticipation.

There was only one person he would be calling in this situation.

Well, all is fair in love and war.

Besides, she is _our_ composer, too.

* * *

"You want me to rearrange this song?" Golden eyes looked at us, confused. I could understand her. Kotobuki had called her up at the unholy hour of nine in the evening, and by all rights, the girl should have declined his crazy-ass invitation. However, Haruka was Haruka and came to our loft/training room without question.

"There's nothing wrong with your previous arrangement." Kotobuki replied, acting as our unofficial spokesman. "But… our feelings had changed."

This time, he was actually scarily serious.

"After listening to STARISH's song we noticed something while practicing." He continued before pausing.

"We'll show them what's burning inside us." I interjected. Yeah, that gut-wrenching feeling gnawing through our hearts, we definitely have release it.

Haruka looked at me, startled by my proclamation.

"More passionate and aggressive." Camus added. Well. He wasn't such an ice block, after all. I could understand him all too well, it hadn't sit with either of us - heck, with neither of the four of us, to suddenly lag behind the brats.

"We tried changing how we sing and dance and switching around the lyrics to create more powerful song." Ai continued, his voice flat as ever, but with the undercurrent of something more.

"But it wasn't enough. We need to start by changing the arrangement."

The crux of the trouble. In song arrangement, we were definitely weaker than STARISH.

And to power it up sufficiently enough… it all depended on STARISH's composer. What an irony.

After a small pause, Haruka smiled at us. "Very well. It's my job to turn the singer's emotions into song. I'll do everything I can."

My gut and heart unclenched at her words. I didn't even know how tense I was until she had spoken her reply.

I had half-expected her to deny us. To say it was perfect as it was, just like our previous composers had before.

"Thanks, _chibi._ " Kotobuki replied to her, his voice once again in his insufferably happy tones. I would have been irritated, but I was feeling too much relief to care.

And the magic began once again.


	3. Ai's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Not owning the character of episodes or series. Shame. But instead, I own this pretty, sparkly little AI story I am sharing with you this very moment.
> 
> Shout Out: Mikaze Ai. Second hardest to write, simply because he is a robot (even if very advanced,) and I don't have the faintest clue how his brain/processor already works. I would've written everything in appropriate computer code, but that would explode everyone's brains, along my own. So, I fibbed about his perception of the world and jealously. Still, it was fun exercise in thinking like A.I., pun intended. 
> 
> Warnings: NotAU, yeah still. Jealously issues robot way and Ai also being a little more human. Oh, and square brackets are intentional. Read on, brave readers.

 

* * *

_**Ai's POV:** _

_**[Date: Spring 2014 May 15th. Time: 21.00 AM. File: Diary-Ai-Mikaze 0709. File start]** _

I don't dream. Machines don't dream. I am a machine. Therefore it would be a logical supposition I couldn't have any dreams.

But machines couldn't think for themselves either, from what I've found of the world, nor react by their own will to the external stimuli like I do.

The protocols I operate under are by far the most advanced in the field of the program engineering, and yet, they are strangely faulty. The data streaming into my programming cortex is interchanged with those strange bursts of nonsensical... feelings? that make entire operations veer off their previously planned courses and provide faulty results.

_/Analysis: Maji Love 1000% in progress/_

My programming tells me I am 15 standard Earth years old. Height: 178 cm ( 5,8 ft). Weight: N/A. Official birthday: 1st March. Occupation: Idol of QUARTET NIGHT band, one of the four, other members in order of age from oldest to youngest: Kotobuki Reiji, Kurosaki Ranmaru, [no surname known] Camus. Duration of the band: 2 standard Earth years. Instrument: Synthesizer, expert level. Relationships: Professional co-worker with [QUARTET NIGHT], senpai to Kurusu Syo and Shinomiya Natsuki, both of the latter members of [STARISH]. Senpais: Hyuuga Ranmaru and Rengo. Working under: Shining Agency. Debut: Idol at 11 years of age /faulty?/. Official debut: 13 years of age. Professional arranger and composer. 14 years of age. Idol: 14 years of age, [QUARTET NIGHT] member.

Maji Love 1000% is an interesting conundrum as usual. The group that produced this song [STARISH] was a motley crew of different talents and abilities. Six different artists. Ichinose Tokiya, alias HAYATO. An idol. Cold. Perfectionist. With Shining's blessing, he managed to inflitrate into Saotome Academy to restart his singing career. Instruments: None. Exceptional vocalist. Failures: At times too technically-minded while singing. Class: S-class, demoted to A class under showing a poor performance. Upon graduation debuted with [STARISH].

Jinguuji Ren. Idol. Playful. Flirt. Troublemaker when in Saotome Academy. Instruments: Saxophone - expert level. Exceptional vocalist. Failures: Lackasidal, no respect for the authority. Class: S-class. Upon graduation debuted with [STARISH].

Hijirikawa Masato. Idol. Serious. Traditional. Actor. Instruments: Piano. Exceptional vocalist. Failures: Afraid to touch women for some reason. Class: A-class. Upon graduation debuted with [STARISH].

Otoya Ittoki. Idol. Playful. Energetic. Instruments: Guitar. Exceptional vocalist. Failures: Naive. Appears to nag ichinose Tokiya too much for his own good. Class: A-class. Upon graduation debuted with [STARISH].

Kurusu Syo. Idol. Atttempts to appear manly, despite his lowe than average height. Instruments: Violin. Exceptional vocalist. Failures: previously afraid of heights, sensitive about his own height. Weak heart. Class: S-class. Upon graduation debuted with [STARISH].

Shinomiya Natsuki. Idol. Childish. Instruments: Violin. Exceptional vocalist, also genius composer. Failures: Naive. Has unexplainable bouts of temper /refer to HAYATO's failed concert in Tokyo/. Class: A-class. Upon graduation debuted with [STARISH].

The chief rule to graduate from Saotome Academy is to produce an exceptional work that could catch the attention of the Saotome-shachou. Which is not an easy task, and it's almost an established fact that only one graduating pair made from composer and singer would have a chance to continue their work in Saotome Agency. However, this...[STARISH] band had managed to overhaul this single rule on its head. I still don't know how exactly did they manage it, but from my files – what I remember - Shining had come one night to meeting with [QUARTET NIGHT] almost bouncing with excitement, babbling about an exceptional song he had heard just before coming to the meeting. And a week later, when the results should have been announced, he had shocked both the entire SA contingent of graduates and Japanese population with introduction of the [STARISH] - actually, he had launched them into business without any preparations that usually accompany that event.

Their debut concert made my chest cavity race with excitement. Their song was 100% unique and yet, something more, making me feel something warm and all-encompassing for a moment.

This time after the concert, I had dreamed of being someone else, someone named [Kisaragi Aine]. The laughter and excitement of being with the senpai and listening to his jokes. The walk on the beach - and the gleaming bubbles when drowning deep in the water.

The pictures flashed across my eyes in a dreamlike sequence, as if I wasn't feeling them at all. But they... were there, entwined within the melody of the [STARISH] debut concert.

_**[File ended]** _

* * *

_**[Date: Summer 2014 June 6th. Time: 21.00 AM. File: Diary-Ai-Mikaze 0905. File start]** _

Data added: Ajima Cecil. Prince. Unaffiliated to Shining Academy, reluctant addition to Shining Agency via Shining-shachou recommendation. Potential idol. Childish. Foreigner. Instrument: Flute. Exceptional vocalist. Failures: Naive, bratty /according to Camus/, disrespectful of rules. Class: None, was not an attendee of Saotome Academy. Affiliated to [STARISH] upon the request of original members of the group and Nanami Haruka.

Seventh member of the constellation of six called [STARISH]. The final piece of the puzzle. That night at the resort, when we heard them sing together, something had clicked within our hearts. I don't understand that new feeling. But objectively looking, their vocal power went up exponentially and with time, they could rival even us. No. That was not right.

[Analyzing data - [STARISH] before, vs. [STARISH] with addition of Aijima Cecil vs. [QUARTET NIGHT - Poison Kiss]

With some time, they could be serious threat to [QUARTET NIGHT]. This new song of theirs... Maji Love 2000%

The showdown for Utapri title should be... _interesting._

_**[File ended]** _

* * *

_**[Date: Summer 2015 July 14th. Time: 21.00 AM. File: Diary-Ai-Mikaze 0320. File start]** _

[QUARTET NIGHT] had changed. And the cause of it was one Nanami Haruka, the composer of [STARISH]. Rationally, and based on data, I knew she had potential, looking at her previous work with Otoya Ittoki, [STARISH] before they were officially formed and as their composer. But I didn't expect her influence on us would be so far reaching.

 _'Thank you... for being by my side.'_ I could earnestly say those words because of them - Nanami Haruka and my two kouhais and co-stars in the movie, Kurusu Syo and Shinomiya Natsuki. They had shown me the meaning of caring.

They didn't abandon me, even if I was a robot.

Kurosaki Ranmaru had also been freed from his shackles of being just [QUARTET NIGHT] idol as Nanami Haruka managed to equal both his rocker and ido sides. Even if I don't particularly like rock, I have to admit I would have missed that component if Kurosaki would have ceased to play it.

Camus, I believe also had his confrontation with the stark reality in the shape of [STARISH] composer. He also sang with only of 85% of his true ability. But Nanami Haruka had forced him to go full 100%, and even if he had grumbled for days afterward, Camus' eyes were lighter and his singing with us also improved to the point we almost seamlessly synchronized with each other at the first try. Usually it takes us some two or three tries to catch up with each other... but not then.

Kotobuki Reiji had been changed the most. Usually a clown and a pranking menace of the group, he became unusually serious when he was talking about taking Nanami Haruka away from [STARISH]. I also admit I had toyed with such a thought, but it still shocked me to hear Kotobuki's easygoing admission to [STARISH] – he outright warned them we would attempt to snatch her away from them in advance.

And what was more, he was absolutely serious.

Neither of us had disagreed.

Nanami Haruka... when we worked with her, we operated at 200% capacity. I believe she is an integral part that is needed for further cohesive working of [QUARTER NIGHT] and I will adhere to get her to work with us on permanent basis.

* * *

"We tried changing how we sing and dance and switching around the lyrics to create more powerful song." I said to her, attempting to explain the problem.

We - [QUARTET NIGHT] - were forced to call Nanami Haruka to make our song better.

While our song with her was 100% perfect, in the state it was in right now, it wouldn't be good enough to overtake [STARISH]'s composition by far. Nanami Haruka had truly outdone herself with composing such an excellent arrangement for her group.

Something within me stirred once again. I had been having those stirs since first hearing [STARISH]'s song at their debut concert.

[Kusanagi Aine]. I believe I had been sharing his thoughts and emotions - when we had been making a movie, it had been a first more active contact between our programming, making my hardware to overload. The professor had been astonished that something like this could happen - yes, I had some similar instances, but none of that as serious as the one I had experienced then. Thankfully, we managed to sync together and he now appears from time to time, like an undercurrent of wave peeking on the surface.

And this time, he wanted to get into game himself. Despite his reluctance, and sometimes outright refusal of my work as an idol, this time he didn't want to be burrowed in the billions of the subroutines of my programming anymore.

Nanami Haruka's songs had stirred him up, beckoning him to the surface, and with him /seeing/ [STARISH]'s song, he refused to back down.

I am Mikaze Ai /[Kusanagi Aine]. I am part of [QUARTET NIGHT]. As a group, we had been broken upon our assembling, but now we are together.

Together, with [ _us_ ] and her, [QUARTET NIGHT] will shine.

_[May our voices resonate with the wind_   
_Reach even greater heights_   
_Turning this promised dream into a song_   
_Let's make a miracle]_


	4. Camus' POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Read it and weep. I am not owning them. Though, for your entertainment, I still borrowed them... Shhh, not a peep about that to anyone, though.
> 
> Shout Out: Camus, the Ice Diva of the QUARTET NIGHT. I both loved and hated him - he was easy on the eyes, but his way of thinking was convoluted enough to make my brain into a pretty pretzel. He was the hardest to write down becasue of his duplicitous personalty and me having to reason his insane moments of being totally agreeable one moment and being a total ice dictator the next. /head meets desk/. Yeah, he is totally from different height /dry snark/. And just for your amusement - Camus is officially the youngest member of QUARTET NIGHT! Seriously, I exploded into a hyenish laughter when I read that little tidbit on the official site when I was riffling for data. This is the fourth - and latest part and his own POV on the happenings. Enjoy. With a big bowl of ice cream along, if you have it. He really merits it.
> 
> Warnings: NotAU, serious spoilers from second and third season, and overuse of the word 'commoner'. Now when you were warned, happy reading of the ice cubes that are his thoughts.

**_Camus' POV_ **

* * *

_The most important thing for an idol is to shine brightly - brighter than any other star in the winter night sky._

This is the chief rule everyone in the entertainment industry religiously abides by. The stars have to shine - sparkle brighter than anyone else to catch the attention of the watchers among the millions of other stars.

Even when you are on the top, you have to reach for even greater heights. It's the journey that never ends. Pain, blood, tears, nothing matters, but to reach another level of the ephemeral, to be closer to the perfection…. Or as close you can be.

Her Majesty … She is our brightest stars shining the light of hope on the dark, velveteen sky with a cold brilliance. We all defer to her mercy and kindness, for she is the one that keeps the Silk Palace alive. By her decree, I am in this strange land called Japan to retrieve something infinitely precious to her. I took to my mission with great enthusiasm - it had been a truly an honor to be chosen among so many of others, for that meant she trusted me with her life and the lives of countless others.

What I didn't expect was the… hodgepodge of happenings I had been thrown in upon my arrival in that strange country. The people here don't have a Monarch to reign over them – instead of that, they have a system, called democracy, and they advance in society either by merit or by greasing some wheels with money. I've met both kinds and many characters had the honor of being bestowed with my presence. They were still mongrels, after all, no matter the fancy titles they were girding themselves with.

I had the luck of being scouted for the Shining Agency as a part of the Queen's agreement with Shining, and immediately upon that, I had been thrust into some kind of a singing band. QUARTET NIGHT. Four members, including me, and as dysfunctional that it practically hurt my brain to even think about completely non-existent probability of us being successful, no matter the voices and charisma we had been gifted by at out birth. Even then, I still outshone them by a large margin.

We didn't get along, and that was an understatement. Especially that Kurosaki mongrel. How dare he argue with me that his disharmonious noise masquerading as rock was an appropriate way of expressing music! The music should have been grand and magnificent, and instead of that, he pushed for some paltry, screechy tunes under the guise of them being powerful and passionate. Ha. As if the S3 judges would be so unrefined to accept it. Mikaze's suggestion of having the song with 120 BPM was just… not good and I can't even fathom just what was Kotobuki thinking, wanting to sing a song that would make listeners happy! We are not STARISH! We are QUARTET NIGHT, we do the sophistication, seduction, magnificence, but not the overly happy, peppy tunes they somehow managed to enchant the public with!

No, I am not bitter. I am not jealous. I simply want to be the best there is – it's a given, like the fact that I am a noble standing above commoners. Is it considered dishonest to covet to be on the top of the world?

Now that I think about being dishonest, she comes on my mind. Nanami Haruka. An ordinary commoner with an extraordinary talent of composing music which allowed her to skirt the rules and graduate along with her sextet of singing partners into the music business under the wings of Shining Saotome. Shining is definitely not an ordinary person and he may seem spastic at moments, but what I can give the man is that he definitely knows his business. STARISH had been the proof of the man's instincts. A motley crew that managed to shake the Japanese music scene with their brilliant debut and even further with their win at Utapri.

All because of her, Nanami Haruka.

Her songs were the one that were partially culpable for exposing STARISH's singing to the world. I don't know why, but when I had been listening to the songs she wrote for our kouhais' I sensed a bit of… magic, if you can call it as such, in them.

She reflected their personalities and singing styles unwaveringly, like a perfect mirror, making for a splendid background for their songs and voices. Even when she had begun her composing career, her talent had been obvious, despite her stumbling on the way. Still, I doubted that her style could elevate QUARTET NIGHT past out seemingly unending plateau we were trudging upon before Shining's assignment of her to us.

We were just too different, with too many sharp edges, too wary and distrustful. If we were professionals who could sing everything, this particular ability was more of an hindrance than joy, festering a frustration within when we had to make at least somewhat acceptable song on the basis of other composers' last works for us. They thought of us as perfect, while we were anything but. They saw a smooth surface, ignoring us chafing beneath it. We were good at pretending – disregard Kotobuki, Kotobuki makes some whine or another, acting as a comedic relief, we acting as our cool selves, be semi-polite to the media, meaning no curses for Kurosaki and me holding my temper back when it came to the incompetency of my assigned assistants at the shots and outright drooling of the girls present wherever I went. Mikaze, I believe, had the least amount of trouble with that kind of happenings, though I had to get used with his constant recording of the happenings. It was… unsettling, to say the least.

It was tiring, to have two faces. Being a kind, benevolent, perfect idol on the outside, and keeping all the crankiness, frustration and anger inside in the darkest corners, withholding sharp tongue and abstaining form showing impatience. Aijima truly tested my threshold for violence, that little whelp. Who did he think he was, for daring to rise so shamelessly above the rules? Idols can't love one person – they love and are loved by the public. Break this one rule, and your lucky star falls from the eternally changing sky. I truly thought of him to be a hopeless case, but somehow, STARISH managed to reform him… slightly. I am not holding my breath that his complacency will be constant and he had proved my theory right when he went against me as I had demanded of Nanami to be my personal assistant when she was to write my song.

I have shown her both of my faces. The light one – the perfect idol. And the dark, selfish one - the one of refined aristocrat always getting what he wants and not tolerating the slightest of mistakes from the commoners surrounding him. I was not unreasonable - I knew how it was to live with the weight of the expectations always on my shoulders. As a Count of Permafrost, I knew my duties and obligations all too well and I had to be steadfast and unyielding in carrying them out. I had to be perfect, one way or another. And after so long of a time, this became my habit, my lifeline and the creed I lived up to. _Always be perfect. Always seek perfection._ This was my life - always above commoners.

And then she came – or rather, she stormed into the reading room where I was reading a book, accusing me quite brazenly, that I am dishonest. That commoner - I had half the mind to tear her apart, making her cry and beg for forgiveness. But I still looked at the composition –

And I had to flee the room to keep up my own composure.

_"I heard that you never do anything in earnest. After serving that, I realized that it's true. So I wrote you a song that will inspire you to be sincere."_

Those words chased me like pack of angry wolves, nipping at my heels. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to rail at her. But seeing - even if just in my mind – her composition – even if I attempted to deny it - I had to admit it that she saw me.

It made me clench my teeth with frustration, How was that she, the commoner of all things, had such an insight to the deepest parts of my psyche, where nobody was allowed to go? I wanted to return, to order her to rearrange the whole damn thing –

\- but this song, it was like an aurora of the cold night sky, the one above the Silk Palace. I could almost see it, almost feel the cold nipping at my nose just like it used to have when I was just but a small kid watching the nature's spectacle playing across the night sky above me in helpless awe –

Cold. Vivid. Enchanting. Saintly. Did she really see me like this?

Recalling the melody, I began to mouth the words to accompany it.

So be it. She had challenged me to be sincere. Who was I to deny her answer to her question?

* * *

People knelt before the force of the song, their eyes wide and bedazzled by the melody that was forceful like blizzard and yet ephemeral like northern lights.

Only she remained upright - with her wide, golden eyes and half-parted lips, looking at me with wonder.

The music spun around me, giving me wings and unlocking my voice. I hadn't known I had forced myself to abandon so much of my true personality when I had to play an idol for the ignorant masses….

Sometimes being honest with myself… it wasn't a bad feeling.

And she smiled at me, her golden eyes liquid under the half-shadowed lights.

Yes, it really wasn't.

* * *

I looked forward to working with Nanami again. Besides, if anyone could give us the key to winning the S3 stage, it was her. Our edges had been smoothed, even if just a little bit, and that should have gone a long way toward the end result. However, it wasn't so, courtesy of our dispute on what our song should actually sound like, and after that, we were unpleasantly surprised by STARISH's unanticipated advancement unto our territory, courtesy of our composer.

Yes, ours. Nanami Haruka had managed to get QUARTET NIGHT work together – not by forceful meshing of our voices alone, but by taking in account or characters, preferences in singing and voices. She had managed to create a miracle I had previously thought to be impossible to make. That night, instead of bickering and squabbling with Kurosaki and Kotobuki trying to run an unsuccessful interference between the two of us, interspersed with Mikaze's statistics' remarks, we finally clicked. And it was like breathing or watching or walking. Natural. Of course, we had some kinks to iron out at first, especially with choreography, but song-wise… we were in complete accord.

And we didn't want to lose that. STARISH didn't even know just what kind of a jewel were they hiding in their midst - or maybe they did, and she was the crux of their efforts and successes in the equal measure. However, we intended to change that. We would always be on a higher level than them, and that meant that we were ready, willing and able to take Nanami from them, preferably on a permanent basis.

If there was one rule, it was the rule of the strongest and best, the rule of the winner. We intended to be the winners to collect the winnings – not only in the shape of performing on S3 stage, but more importantly acquiring one Nanami Haruka as our sole composer.

* * *

"The world will be ruled by Heavens!" That little upstart's voice grated at my nerves. Though I do have to admit that their show and song were impressive, but Otori's arrogance was supremely irritating.

After all this - QUARTET NIGHT's work both individually and together to polish ourselves to greater heights, even going so far as to get Nanami to rearrange our song to be even better than the first version we already had thought it had been a pinnacle of perfection, to the exhaustive practice aand giving it all on the stage, we were introduced to the enemy that had been hiding within the shadows.

My lips twitched into a smirk as my eyes became colder with amusement.

"Nice, nice," I heard Kotobuki call out, and his voice was just shy of lethal, even as playful as it sounded out. "This is an incredibly interesting development. But QUARTET NIGHT will be the opening artist!" He called back to the arrogant interloper. We nodded in unison.

We - QUARTET NIGHT - will win. We had faith in the abilities not only of ourselves, but also in our composer. She was the wings that will enable us to pass this threshold, however stormy it may have been.

We will win, and the Silk Palace will be saved.


End file.
